Introducing Store Sections and Categories to Brand Groups and Entrepreneurs in North America

In The Store: Concentrating on these in-store sections

Understanding the Retailers Who Have Multiple Departments

Understanding how to collaborate effectively with retailers that have multiple sections is a critical skill for new consumer brand entrepreneurs. It goes beyond simply getting a product on the shelves—it involves deciphering the optimal placement within the store. The importance of this understanding lies in the fact that the right positioning can significantly impact a brand’s visibility, sales, and overall success. By strategically placing products in the most appropriate section or department of a store, entrepreneurs can tap into their target audience more effectively, stand out in a crowded marketplace, and build stronger partnerships with retailers. Whether it’s finding the ideal spot in a supermarket, securing prominent shelf space in a mass merchant, or aligning with the values of a natural retailer, making informed decisions about product placement can make all the difference in achieving long-term growth and customer loyalty for new consumer brands.

The ”Center of the Store” in a supermarket, mass merchant, or other multiple department food store typically refers to the central aisles where non-perishable and shelf-stable items are displayed. This area typically includes products like canned goods, pasta, cereal, snacks, condiments, and household supplies. It is often contrasted with the store’s perimeter, which houses fresh produce, dairy, meat, and bakery sections. The center of the store is known for its convenience, offering a wide range of packaged goods and grocery staples. Shoppers often navigate between the center and perimeter to complete their shopping lists, making it an essential part of the store layout for consumers looking for pantry essentials and non-food items.
  • General Merchandise
  • Health and Beauty Care
  • Snacks (Chips/Cookies/Candy)
  • Sports Nutrition (Bars/Powders)
  • Canned Foods and Soups
  • Coffee/Creamer/Cocoa
  • Tobacco Products
  • Trash/Picnic
  • Frozen Foods
  • Beverage/Water/Soda
  • Kitchen Ware
  • Breakfast Items
  • Shelf-Stable Foods
  • Baby Products
  • Grill and Charcoal
  • Automotive/Motor Oil
  • Local Products
  • Condiments/Spices
  • Hardware/Lighting
  • Misc (Gift Cards, etc)
  • Stationary/Greeting
  • Paper Products
  • Pharmacy
  • Pest Control
  • Home/Cleaning
  • Batteries
  • Apparel
  • Cosmetics
  • International
  • Petcare
  • Baking
  • Confections
  • Audio Electronic
The ”Store Perimeter” in a supermarket, mass merchant, or other multiple department food store refers to the outermost sections of the store layout, which typically house fresh and perishable products. This includes departments such as the produce section with fruits and vegetables, the dairy and refrigerated section, the meat and seafood counter, and the bakerydepartment. The store perimeter is known for its emphasis on fresh, often locally sourced, and frequently replenished items. It’s a hub for shoppers seeking items like fresh produce, dairy products, meats, and bakery goods, emphasizing a focus on healthier, whole foods. Many consumers consider the store perimeter as the heart of the store where they can find nutritious and often less processed food options.
  • Front-End Checkouts
  • Floral Departments
  • Produce Departments
  • Service Delis
  • Meat Departments
  • Liquor Departments
  • Bakery Departments
  • In-Store Bakery
  • Deli and Dairy
  • In-Store Pharmacies

Wiki CPG: Educating About How to Work With Retailers and Their Departments

The Conzumables Team and The Co-Packing Network are creating Wiki CPG (future www.WikiCPG.org) to become a complete consumer product industry library of information.

Consumer Product Brands (Start-up to Emerging to Established): We work with start-up, emerging and established brands in categories such as:

  • Gloves
  • Cosmetics
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Laundry Care
  • Snacks
  • Beverages
  • Frozen Foods
  • Deli and Dairy
  • Meat and Seafood
  • Produce
  • Bakery/Bread
  • Pet Products
  • Stationary
  • Family Planning
  • Apparel
  • Health and Beautycare
  • Audio-Electronic
  • General Merchandise
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Paper Products
  • Liquor Products
  • Sporting Goods
  • Party Supplies
  • Religion Supplies
  • Video Gaming
  • Front-End Products
  • Perfumes
  • Pool Supplies
  • Personal Care
  • Charcoal and BBQ
  • Condiments
  • Sauces
  • Pickles/Olives
  • Picnic and Trash
  • Side Dishes
  • Supplements/Vitamins
  • Kitchen Needs
  • Peanut Butter/Jams
  • Coffee/Cocoa/Tea
  • First-Aid
  • Pest Control
  • Office Supplies
  • Craft and Hobby
  • OTC/Pharma/CBD
  • Ethnic Foods
  • Dietary Foods
  • Baby & Kids Products
  • Breakfast/Cereals
  • Canned Goods
  • Floral Products
  • Grains and Pasta
  • Batteries
  • Tobacco Supplies
  • Writing Instruments
  • Water Softeners
  • Confections
  • Educational Materials
  • Farm Supply
  • Hardware/Electrical
  • Auto Care/Parts
  • In-Store Deli
  • Baking Products
  • Cooking Oils
  • Spices/Seasonings
  • Lighting

Our History in Helping Brands and Retail Sections

Some of Our Successes, Shark Tank and More:

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The Conzumables Team has been helping start-up and emerging brands since 2008. We have a long list of successes including being involved with over 40 brands seen on Shark Tank.

  • been helping start-up and emerging brands since 2008. The team comes from the largest food companies on the planet (Nestle, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Kellogg’s and Conagra).
  • We have offices in Las Vegas, NV; Honolulu, HI; Dallas, TX and Raleigh, NC.
  • We have internal and external sales offices and partners.
  • We have our own TV shows as well

Pioneering New Sub-Sections:  Our founders are involved in pioneering new sub-sections within the deli and dairy categories.  The most recent example is the creation of the refrigerated nutrition section with its equity ownership in the Perfect Snacks brand. * Now Perfect Snacks is national in most supermarket chains and was recently invested into by the large snack company, Mondelez.  

The Contract Manufacturing Alliance's Programming

The Contract Manufacturing Alliance (www.ContractMFG.org): The Contract Manufacturing Alliance was established as a collaboration among consumer industry groups dedicated to helping brands of all sizes form effective contract manufacturing partnerships. By fostering these connections, CMA empowers brands to streamline their production and bring innovative products to market. In The Store (www.InTheStore.org): CMA developed In The Store to educate consumer brands about the intricacies of the in-store experience. This program also provides opportunities for brands to connect directly with the appropriate category departments to optimize their retail placement.

Wiki CPG (www.WIKICPG.org):
CMA’s Wiki CPG serves as a comprehensive educational platform offering tools and resources for consumer brands. Covering topics like manufacturing, marketing, sales, logistics, and social media, it supports brands at every stage of their business journey.

Brand Previews (www.BrandPreviews.com):
CMA is launching Brand Previews, an innovative matchmaking tool designed to connect consumer brands with the most suitable retail categories. This platform streamlines the process of getting brands in front of the right buyers and decision-makers.

What is the Retail Cooperative:

Created by Trusted Consumer Outlets, the Retail Cooperative is a full service-consumer product design and manufacturing agency. With its own on-site 150,000 square feet facility (design, packaging, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution) available to customers.

The Retail Cooperative (Trusted Consumer Outlets) uses mostly recycled materials. Recycled materials are crucial for reducing waste in landfills and conserving natural resources. It also lowers the carbon footprint by consuming less energy during manufacturing and enhancing brand image by appealing to eco-conscious consumers.
www.RetailCooperative.com

What is the Contract Manufacturing Alliance:

Founded by the Contract Packaging Association (ContractMFG.org) and the Co-Packing Network the Contract Manufacturing Alliance was created to be an expansion of the CPA’s RFQ Tool.  The RFQ Tool helps start-up and emerging brands with their co-packing needs.

The CPA’s Request for Quote (RFQ) tool allows an automated submission to CPA Members to securely submit their project details and needs. Your Request for Quote will be dispatched to CPA Members whose capabilities match your project needs, and if they can assist you, will contact you directly about their services and capabilities. RFQ Tool

Retail Department Match-Making System (Brands to Category Managers)
Coming soon, the Contract Manufacturing Alliance and its partners are introducing Brand Previews, an advanced matchmaking system designed to connect brands directly with the appropriate category managers in retail stores. This platform will serve as a bridge between brands and decision-makers, enhancing targeted outreach and streamlining the introduction process.
With Brand Previews, brands will have the opportunity to connect with category managers for specific store departments, such as produce, meats, service deli, and more. This focused approach ensures that brands can present their products to the right contacts, increasing the potential for successful placements and fostering efficient pathways to retail partnerships. www.BrandPreviews.com

Retail Channels and Formats (www.RetailFormats.com): We work with a long-list of retail channels including:

Our Team has been involved with start-up, emerging and established beverage brands since the early 1990’s. We work with a long-list of CPG contract manufacturers nationwide to help make new products as well as have a-number of sales team partners available to get the products into distributors, retailers, food service customers and more.
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Our family has been involved within the consumer product industry (US based manufacturing, retailing, distribution) since the early 1920’s.  From the first generation to the latest, our best practices have been handed down over time leading to a long legacy of successes in the business (manufacturing, retailing, distribution and more).

1920's - 1940's
1950's - 1960's
1970's - 1980's
1990's - 2000's
2010's - Today

Our Own Media:

The Co-Packing Network itself has over 35-years of media experience (TV shows, OTT).  Examples of our work includes:

We Have Our Own Magazine:

Contract Packaging, published three times each year by PMMI Media Group (owners of Packaging World magazine), has the privilege and the advantage of being the official publication for the Contract Packaging Association, positioning CP journalists for optimum access to and trust of key influencers who are driving the leading edge of the industry. 20,000 qualified packaging professionals receive each edition of CP. These professionals are individuals who have indicated that they have purchase involvement in contract packaging and related services and products. Magazine recipients are also contract packagers, who are CPA members. ContractPackaging.org

Brands

Contract Manufacturing Alliance